Radiative-type air-conditioning unit

ABSTRACT

A radiative-type air-conditioning unit capable of being freely moved to and set in different positions, and used to deal with the problems concerning the unevenly distributed heat loads in a closed office in which a plurality of office automation (OA) machines are installed. This radiation air-conditioner consists of a radiation endothermic/radiating plate including a radiation generating surface (21) formed on one side surface of a panel (20), a plurality of thermoelectric elements (22) attached to the other side surface of the panel (20), and a plurality of heat exchanger means (25) attached to the other surfaces of these thermoelectric elements (22). Accordingly, noise does not occur in this radiation air-conditioner, and maintenance work therefor is substantially not required. Since this radiation air-conditioner can be installed in a small space owing to its small weight and thickness and compact structure, it is used very extensively.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 686,889 filedApr. 17, 1991 which is a continuation division of application Ser. No.457,789 filed Feb. 28, 1990.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a radiative-type air-conditioning unit adaptedfor use as an office air conditioner for office automation corner in anenclosed room, an office room and a conference room, etc., and also asan air conditioner for home use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As a conventional radiative type air-conditioning unit, there is known asystem whose radiant heat transfer unit is fixedly secured to theceiling of a room or the side wall surface thereof such that chilledwater or hot water, or alternatively cool air or hot air may flowthrough the radiant heat transfer unit, and the temperature of the unitis controlled thus conducting air-conditioning in the room. In thissystem, chilled water or hot water, or alternatively, cool air or hotair is supplied through pipings by an air-conditioning unit installedseparately.

Further, besides the above-mentioned standing radiative air-conditioningunit, there is a portable air-conditioning unit wherein an airconditioner is accommodated in a movable box-shaped housing, and thehousing is formed with a duct adapted to blow off cool air or warm air.

Still further, as a partitioning panel shaped radiative-typeair-conditioning unit, there is known a system wherein the partitioningpanel is provided with an electric heater or alternatively it isarranged such that a heated or cooled fluid is passed therethrough.

However, out of the above-mentioned conventional radiative-typeair-conditioning units, those which require provision of pipings entailpiping work and cannot be moved to a suitable plate, and therefore theycannot be used for local air-conditioning.

In recent years, office automation (O.A.) equipment have come into wideuse in offices, and if the number of such O.A. equipment used increases,then in most cases the heat developed by them causes a conspicuousdeviation in thermal loading in the office room. It is not easy toregulate such a deviation in thermal loading by air-conditioning in thewhole room, and particularly it is almost impossible to create anair-conditioning effect suitable for an individual. Further, it is alsoimpossible to modify air-conditioning pipings according to changes inthermal loading conditions in a room due to alteration of office layout.

To settle these problems, it is envisaged to use the above-mentionedportable radiative-type air-conditioning unit suitable for localair-conditioning without the need for piping work, however, thisportable type one has the following disadvantages.

Stating in brief, in order to cope with the deviated thermal loading inthe office room where many O.A. equipment are located as mentionedabove, the number of the portable radiative-type air-conditioning unitsmust be increased, or alternatively, the air-conditioning capacity ofeach unit must be increased. In both cases, there is a problem in thatthe sound-generated by a compressor mainly for cooling purposes or a fanaccommodated in the box-shaped housing becomes noise to persons near theair-conditioning unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The presnet invention has been made in view of the above-mentionedsituation in the prior art and also paying attention to the fact that,to achieve improvements in working environment in offices, comparativelylow-partitioning panels having a height of 900 to 1800 mm, which arereferred to as so-called "low partition", have come to be used.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide aradiative-type air-conditioning unit which utilizes "Peltier Effect"provided by thermoelectric elements and is noiseless, and which does notrequire provision of special piping work and is substantiallymaintenance free.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a radiative-typeair-conditioning unit which has various usages in that it can be used asa ceiling material of a room or a side wall material thereof or it canbe used as a portable unit, and which is of light weight, thin andcompact.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a radiative-typeair-conditioning unit having a high energy utilization efficiency andexcellent response and control characteristics resulting from the use ofa direct air-conditioning system wherein the temperature sensed by ahuman body is controlled by the radiant heat transfer surface thereof.

To achieve the above-mentioned objects, according to a first aspect ofthe present invention, there is provided a radiative panel typeair-conditioning unit comprised of a radiation heat absorbing andemitting board; including a radiant heat transfer surface formed on oneside surface of a panel; a plurality of thermoelectric elements mountedon the other side surface of the panel; and a plurality of heat exchangemeans mounted on the opposite side surfaces of these thermoelectricelements.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a radiative panel type air-conditioning unit as set forth inthe first aspect, wherein the panel is a partitioning panel member whichis comprised of a frame, a piece of front panel and a piece of rearpanel that are formed on both surfaces of the frame, and the unitfurther comprises cross-flow fan means installed inside of the panelmember; air intakes formed in the portions of the front panel oppositeto the cross-flow fans; an opening formed in the uppermost end of thepanel member; a window opening formed in the upper half of the panelmember and adapted to be fitted with the radiation heat absorbing andemitting board, the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board beingmounted in the window opening in such a manner that the radiant heattransfer surface faces the front panel and the heat exchange means arelocated in the ventilation passage for the cross-flow fan means definedwithin the panel member; and controller means for controlling thethermoelectric elements of the radiation heat absorbing and emittingboard and the cross-flow fan means.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided aradiative panel type air-conditioning unit as set forth in the secondaspect, characterized in that the cross-flow fan means have a verticallyaligned positional relationship with each other and comprise a firstcross-flow fan located at an upper position and a second cross-flow fanlocated at a lower position, and said unit further comprises first airintakes formed in the portions of the rear panel opposite to the firstcross-flow fan; blowoff ports for the first cross-flow fan which openupwardly inside of the panel member; second air intakes formed in theportions of the front panel opposite to the second cross-flow fan; andblowoff ports for the second cross-flow fan formed in the portions ofthe front panel opposite to the second cross-flow fan and at a positionlower than the second air intake.

The above-mentioned and other advantages, manners and objects of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art bymaking reference to the following description and the accompanyingdrawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principles ofthe present invention are shown by way of example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view showing schematicallythe configuration of principal parts of one embodiment of the radiativepanel type air-conditioning unit according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are side elevational views showing schematically conditionswherein the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is used;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view showing schematicallythe configuration of principal parts of a variant of the embodimentshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic, exploded perspective view showing components ofanother embodiment of the radiative panel type air-conditioning unitaccording to the present invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are an assembled perspective view and a schematiclongitudinal sectional view, respectively of the embodiment shown inFIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a schematic, perspective view showing an example using theembodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are a schematic, longitudinal sectional view and aschematic, perspective view, respectively, showing two variant examplesof the embodiment shown in FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 are a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view anda schematic, longitudinal sectional view, respectively, showing afurther embodiment of the radiative panel type air-conditioning unitaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of a radiative panel type air-conditioning unitaccording to the present invention will now be described in detail belowwith reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, reference numeral 20 dentoes a radiation panel whichserves as the substrate of a radiant heat absorbing and emitting board.The radiation panel 20 has a radiant coating layer 21 such as, forexample, a black paint or the like applied onto the front surfacethereof, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements 22 bonded onto thewhole rear surface thereof by means of an adhesive 23. The arrangementis made such that, when the thermoelectric elements 6 are fed with ad.c. electric current from a power supply 24, heat is absorbed throughone side surface thereof, for example, the side of the radiation panel20 and emitted towards the opposite side thereof by "Peltier Effect".(When air-cooling is made) The above-mentioned effect is reversed whenthe direction of flow of electric current is reversed. (When heating ismade) Further, the above-mentioned thermoelectric elements 22 have aplurality of fine pin fins 25 for heat exchange purposes mounted on theother side thereof by the adhesive 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, the above-mentioned radiation panel 20 is in theform of a movable screen having a base 26 fixed to the lower end thereofand which stands on its own bottom.

In the above-mentioned arrangement, when as shown in FIG. 2 theradiation panel 20 is installed with the radiant heat transfer surfacethereof facing an office worker 27, and each of the thermoelectricelements 22 is fed with a d.c. electric current in a direction ofabsorbing the heat from the side of the radiation panel 20, theradiation heat from the side of the worker 27 is absorbed by the radiantheat transfer surface of the radiation panel 20 so that the side of theworker 27 is cooled. Whilst, when the direction of flow of electriccurrent is changed so as to emit heat from the radiant heat transfersurface, the side of the worker 27 is heated by the heat emitted by theabove-mentioned radiant heat transfer surface.

On the rear side of the radiation panel 20, the heat emitted from orabsorbed by the opposite side of the above-mentioned thermoelectricelements 22 is subjected to natural convection for heat exchange.

Whilst heat is emitted from or absorbed by the radiant heat transfersurface of the above-mentioned radiation panel 20 mainly by radiation,heat emission or absorption can of course be made even by naturalconvection and heat conduction.

Further, whilst the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 shows a conditionwherein the radiation panel 20 is installed behind the worker, theradiation panel 20 may be installed alternatively on the side or infront of the worker 27 wiht the radiant heat transfer surface thereoffacing the worker 27. Fruther, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 showsthe case where the whole of one side surface of the radiation panel 20serves as the radiant heat transfer surface, however, the arrangementmay be made such that a portion of the radiation panel 20 may serve asthe radiant heat transfer surface as shown in FIG. 3.

Still further, as shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned radiation panel20 may be installed above the office worker 27; that is; it may beattached to the ceiling located above.

Furthermore, whilst the above-mentioned embodiment shows the arrangementthat the radiation panel 20 has a plurality of thermoelectric elements20 adhesively bonded onto the rear surface thereof so that radiationheat can be emitted or absorbed through the surface of the radiationpanel 20, it is also possible to allow the radiation panel 20 to fulfillradiation heat emitting or absorbing function as well as sound absorbingfunction.

A variant embodiment of the radiation panel having in combination theheat emitting or absorbing function and the sound absorbing function isshown in FIG. 5.

Reference numeral 20a denotes a substrate of a radiation panel 20' whichhas a material with excellent thermal conductivity and sound absorbingcharacteristics such as, for example, a metallic heat and soundabsorbing material 21' produced by sintering aluminium powder,adhesively bonded onto the surface thereof. The substrate 20a has aplurality of thermoelectric elements 22 adhesively bonded onto the rearsurface thereof. The thermoelectric elements 22 have a substrate 20badhesively bonded onto the other side surface thereof and to which aplurality of heat exchange fins 25 are attached. Reference nuemral 28denotes a material having thermal insulating and sound absorbingproperties such as, for example, glass wool which is inserted betweenthe thermoelectric elements 22.

The use of the radiation panel 20' thus condigured enables soundabsorbing effect to be achieved in addition to heat absorbing effectthus making it possible to lower the noise level in an office.

In the next place, a second embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a partitioning panelmember, in disassembled condition, for use in a radiative typeair-conditioner according to the present invention, and FIGS. 7 and 8are a perspective view and a schematic, longitudinal sectional view,respectively, of the assembly of the second embodiment. In thesedrawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a frame or framework shown withthe uppermost end kept open. A front panel 2 and a rear panel 3 arefixedly secured to the front and rear surfaces, respectively, of theframe 1 to form a hollow partitioning panel 4 with an open top end. Thisframe 1 has a cross-flow fan 5 mounted on the lower part thereof. And,the front panel 2 has air inlets 6 formed in the lower part thereof atpositions opposite to the cross-flow fan 5. This front panel 2 has awindow opening 7 having a large area formed in the upper half thereof.Reference numeral 8 denotes a radiation heat absorbing and emittingboard adapted to be fitted in the opening 7 from inside thereof. Thisradiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 is made up of two piecesof panels 8a and 8b having a plurality of thermoelectric elements 9mounted lengthwise and breadthwise in a regular manner between them.Moreover, the rear panel 8b has radiating fins 10 mounted on the outersurface thereof at positions opposite to the thermoelectric elements 9.Further, the thickness of the radiation heat absorbing and emittingboard 8 including the radiating fins or heat emitting or absorbing fins10 is slightly less than that of the frame 1 so that they can beaccommodated in the inner space of the partitioning panel 4. Moreover,the radiating fins 10 are adapted to conduct heat exchange with the airflow flowing vertically through the interior of the partitioning panelmember 4, and the vertilating air passage extends vertically therein.

Filters 11 are mounted inside of the air inlets 6 in the panel 2, and anupper cover 13 is fitted fixedly in an upper opening 12 formed in theupper end of the partitioning panel member 4.

Further, in the drawings, reference numeral 14 denotes a controllerfixedly secured to the frame 1 in the air flow passage formed inside ofthe partitioning panel member 4. This controller 14 is adapted tocontrol the turning on and off of the cross-flow fans 5, the turning onand off of electricity to the thermoelectric elements 9, the directionof electric current flow through the thermo-electric elements 9 and theintensity of the electric current.

The above-mentioned partitioning panel member 4 is 60 to 80 mm thick andis of a size which is nearly the same as that of an ordinary lowpartitions, and as occasion demands a plurality of such panel members 4may be used by placing them laterally in a row.

In the above-mentioned arrangement, when the controller 14 is operatedto feed an electric current to the thermoelectric elements 9 so that thefront side of the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 iscooled and the heat is emitted through the rear side thereof by "PeltierEffect", and the cross-flow fan 5 is driven, heat is absorbed throughthe radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 whose surface area isdefined by the aperture 7 in the front panel 2 of the partitioningmember 4 so that the front or outer side of the partitioning member 4 iscooled.

Whilst, at that time, the heat emitted towards the rear side of theradiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 is transferred to the airflow which is delivered by the cross-flow fan 5, passes through theradiating fins 10 and exhaust from the upper opening 12. At that time,the controller 14 is also cooled by the wind flowing through theinterior of the above-mentioned partitioning panel member 4.

FIG. 9 shows an example wherein the above-mentioned partitioning members4 are used. Each of the partitioning members 4 is located with the frontpanel 2 thereof facing the interior at intervals of 0.5 to 1.0 meteraway from an worker. The controller 14 is controlled in such a mannerthat the temperature of the front surfaces of the radiation heatabsorbing and emitting boards 8 may be kept at 10° to 15° when the roomtemperature is 23° to 28° C. As a result, a heat transfer by radiationis generated between the operator and the partitioning members 4 so thatthe operator is subjected to a cooling effect.

Although the above-mentioned second embodiment shows a single-side typeone wherein the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 is locatedonly on one side of the panel member 4, a both-side type one as shown inFIG. 10 may be used instead.

Stating in brief, the latter type one is comprised of a pair of heatabsorbing and emitting boards 8 and 8', each consisting of two pieces ofpanels 8a and 8b having thermoelectric elements 9 sandwiched betweenthem, the boards 8 and 8' having radiating fins 10 mounted between themand being adapted to be fitted in apertures 7 formed in both sides of apartitioning panel member 4'.

According to this arrangement, both sides of the partitioning panelmember 4' are cooled or heated.

Further, in each of the above-metnioned embodiments, the surfaces of theradiation heat absorbing and emitting boards 8 and 8' are cooled orheated by radiation by changing the direction of flow of electriccurrent through the thermoelectric elements 9.

Further, if the direction of flow of electric current through some ofthe thermoelectric elements 9 on each of the radiation surfaces of theradiation heat absorbing and emitting boards 8 and 8' is selectivelychanged, then the radiant air-conditioning function on the radiationsurfaces can be controlled. Further, this air-conditioning functionalcontrol may be conducted by controlling the intensity of the electriccurrent flow through the thermoelectric elements 9.

Furthermore, it is possible to allow the upper portions of the radiationheat absorbing and emitting boards 8 and 8' to fulfil their coolingfunction and the lower portions thereof to fulfil their heating functionby selectively changing the direction of the electric current flowthrough the thermoelectric elements 9 by group.

Therefore, by increasing the vertical dimension of the radiation heatabsorbing and emitting boards 8 and 8' to increase their areas andmaking controls so that they can fulfil the above-mentioned functions,the upper half of worker's body can be cooled, and the lower halfthereof can be heated so that an ideal working environment wherein hemay feel refreshed at his head and get warm at his legs.

As a means for obtaining the above-mentioned air-conditioning effect, apanel heater 15 may be mounted on the lower part of the partitioningpanel member 4 as shown in FIG. 11. the arrangement is made such thatthe switching on and off of this panel heater 15 and the temperaturethereof can be controlled by the controller 14 which controls thethermoelectric elements 9 and the cross-flow fan 5 at the same time.

Further, as another means for attaining the above-mentioned comfortablecondition wherein the worker may feel refreshed at his head and get warmat his legs, it is possible to reverse the direction of flow of the winddelivered by the cross-flow fan 5 so as to allow warm air resulting fromthe heat-exchange by the radiation heat absorbing and emitting surfaces8 and 8' to be sent into the office room from the air inlets 6 formed inthe lower part of the partitioning panel member 4 or 4'. In this case,an electric heater may be installed upstream of the cross-flow fan 5.

Moreover, in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 and the twovariant embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, although the controller 14is fixedly secured to the frame 1 in the air current passage definedinside of the partitioning panel member 4, it may be mounted on a memberor article other than the air-conditioning panel; in other words; it maybe located outside the panel.

In these drawings, the cross-flow fan 5 is shown installed near thelowermost part of the air-conditioning panel, however, it may beinstalled just below the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8.

Subsequently, a third embodiment of the radiant panel air-conditioneraccording to the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 12 and 13.

Further, in FIGS. 12 and 13, components designated by the same referencenumerals as those used to indicate components of the second embodimentin FIGS. 6 to 8 have the same functions, and therefore the descriptionof them is omitted to avoid duplication of the explanation thereof.

The characteristic feature of the third embodiment is as follows.

A first cross-fan 5₁ and a second cross-flow fan 5₂ are mounted belowthe above-mentioned radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 in avertically spaced apart relationship with each other within thepartitioning panel member 4. The above-mentioned second cross-flow fan5₂ is adapted to send out a gentle air.

The above-mentioned first cross-flow fan 5₁ has air intakes 6 formed ina rear panel 3 of a partioning panel member 4, and an air blowoff port16 directed upwardly in the partitioning panel member. Whilst, thesecond cross-flow fan 5₂ has air intakes 6₂ and air blowoff ports 17formed in a front panel 2 at upper and lower positions, respectively ina vertically spaced apart relationship. The partitioning panel member 14has a hot air outlet 12 formed in the uppermost end thereof. Thearrangement is made such that the wind sent out by the first cross-flowfan 5₁ through the blowoff ports 16 is allowed to pass through theradiating fins 10 of the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8and exit from the hot air outlet 12. Reference numeral 14 denotes acontroller installed in the lower part of the partitioning panel member4. This controller 14 is adapted to control the switching on and off ofthe first and second cross-flow fans 5₁ and 5₂, the turning on and offof electricity to the thermoelectric elements 9, changing the directionof electric current flow through the thermoelectric elements 9, and theintensity of the electric current.

The above-mentioned partitioning panel member 4 is 60 to 80 mm thick andis of a size which is nearly the same as that of an ordinary lowpartition, and as occasion demands a plurality of such panel members maybe used by placing them laterally in a row.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment wherein the partitioning members 4 are usedas low partitions surrounding a work table 18. The air intakes 6₂ andthe blowoff ports 17 of the second cross-flow fan 5₂ are located abovethe work table 18.

In the above-mentioned arrangement, when the controller 14 is operatedto feed electric current to the thermoelectric elements 9 so that heatis absorbed by the front side of the radiation heat absorbing andemitting board 8, and the heat thus absorbed is emitted through the rearside thereof by "Peltier Effect", and both the cross-flow fans 5₁ and 5₂are driven, heat is absorbed by the front side of the radiation heatabsorbing and emitting board 8 thereby cooling by radiation the frontside of the partitioning panel member 4.

Whilst, at that time, the air behind the partitioning panel member 4 isdrawn in by the first cross-flow fan 5₁, which is then driven, throughthe air intakes 6₁ and discharged from the blowoff ports 16 so that itmay pass through a plurality of radiating fins 10 mounted on theradiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 and exit from the hot airoutlet 12. As a result, the heat emitted to the rear side of theradiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 is transferred to theabove-mentioned air flow, and is dissipated upwardly through theinterior of the partitioning panel member 4.

Further, the air in front of the partitioning panel member 4 and justbelow the radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 is drawn in bythe second cross-flow fan 5₂, which is then driven, through the airintakes 6₂ and is expelled downwardly through the blowoff ports 17.Thus, the air which is cooled by the front surface of the radiation heatabsorbing and emitting board 8 and has descended is sucked in by thesecond cross-flow fan 5₂ and is blown off by it onto the work table 18as a gentle air.

Due to the above-mentioned air-conditioning effect, the worker sittingat the work table 18 is cooled by the radiant cooling effect caused bythe radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8, and by the cool airdelivered by the second cross-flow fan 5₂ as a gentle air. Further, thegentle air delivered by the second cross-flow fan 5₂ should preferablyhave a flow belocity of about 0.3 m/ρ. The number of revolutions of thesecond cross-flow fan 5₂ can be set as described by means of a switch athand.

If the direction of electric current flow through the thermoelectricelements 9 is changed so that heat may be absorbed by the rear side ofthe radiation heat absorbing and emitting board 8 and the heat thusabsorbed may be emitted by the front side thereof, then the front sideof the partitioning panel member 4 is heated by radiation.

At that time, the wind delivered by the second cross-flow fan 5₂ servesto circulate air. Further, in case of heating, the second cross-flow fan5₂ may be stopped.

Furthermore, whilst the above-mentioned embodiment shows a case wherethe blowoff port 17 for the second cross-fan 5₂ is located above thework table 18, it is needless to say that hte blowoff port 17 may belocated below the work table 18, and the aforementioned partitioningpanel member 4 may be used as a partition board.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of preferredembodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited thereto. Many changes and modifications of thepresent invention will occur readily to those skilled in the art and maybe implemented without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A radiative-panel-type air-conditioning unit,comprising:a partitioning panel member; said partitioning panel memberincluding a frame, a front panel, a rear panel, and a ventilationpassage between said front and rear panels cross-flow fan means disposedinside said partitioning panel member in communication with saidventilation passage; air intakes disposed in portions of said frontpanel adjacent to said cross-flow fan means; an opening formed in anuppermost end of said partitioning panel member; a window opening formedin an upper half of said partitioning panel member; a radiation heatabsorbing and emitting board having a first panel which includes aradiant heat transfer surface, a second panel having a plurality of heatexchange elements, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements disposedbetween said first and second panels; said radiation heat absorbing andemitting board being mounted in said window opening in such a mannerthat said plurality of heat exchange elements are located in saidventilation passage in communication with said cross-flow fan means; andcontroller means for controlling said thermoelectric elements of saidradiation heat absorbing and emitting board and said cross-flow fanmeans.
 2. A radiative-panel-type air-conditioning unit as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said cross-flow fan means comprises first and secondcross-flow fans which have a vertically aligned positional relationshipwith each other and said first cross-flow fan is located at an upperposition and said second cross-flow fan is located at a lower position,and wherein said air intakes are first air intakes, and furthercomprising second air intakes formed in portions of said rear paneladjacent to said first cross-flow fan; first blowoff ports for saidfirst cross-flow fan which open upwardly inside of said partitioningpanel member; and second blowoff ports for said second cross-flow fanformed in said front panel opposite to said second cross-flow fan and ata position lower than said second air intakes.
 3. A radiative-panel-typeair-conditioning unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation heatabsorbing and emitting board constitutes a first radiation heatabsorbing and emitting board, and further comprising a second radiationheat absorbing and emitting board which is substantially identical tosaid first radiation heat absorbing and emitting board, and wherein saidfirst and second radiation head absorbing and emitting boards aremounted on opposite sides of said partitioning panel member.
 4. Aradiative-panel-type air-conditioning unit as claimed in claim 1,wherein said partitioning panel member has a panel heater mounted on alower portion thereof.
 5. A radiative-panel-type air-conditioning unitas claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiant heat transfer surface iscomposed of a metallic radiation and sound absorbing material adhesivelybonded onto one side of said first panel, and said plurality ofthermoelectric elements are adhesively bonded onto the other side ofsaid first panel; and a heat insulating and sound absorbing materialfilling a space between said first and second panels and said pluralityof thermoelectric elements.
 6. A radiative-panel-type air-conditioningunit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said radiation and sound absorbingmaterial is composed of an alloy produced by sintering aluminium powder,and said heat insulating and sound absorbing material is glass wool. 7.A radiative-panel-type air-conditioning unit as comprising:a firstsubstrate having a first surface and a second surface; a radiant heattransfer layer adjacent said first surface of said first substrate, saidradiant heat transfer layer being a metallic radiation and soundabsorbing material adhesively bonded to said first surface of said firstsubstrate; said radiation and sound absorbing material being composed ofan alloy produced by sintering aluminium powder; a plurality ofthermoelectric elements adhesively bonded to said second surface of saidfirst substrate; a second substrate having one surface adjacent saidthermoelectric elements; heat exchange means mounted on said secondsubstrate; and a heat insulating and sound absorbing materialsubstantially filling a space between said first and second substratesand said plurality of thermoelectric elements, and said heat insulatingand sound absorbing material is glass wool.